Master Luke Chan helps Erin to fix her knees
while moving her Mingmen.

How to prevent the knee "pop"

By Erin Taylor

Doing 100 wall squats seems like the ultimate
achievement. But there is always another mountain to climb! On the month
retreat Luke found that I was using my knees to power the squats and that
I wasn't pushing my mingmen out enough, or pulling the coccyx forward
properly. My knees were making popping sounds which indicates they were
being strained. So I started again...first placing my feet a hand's width
from the wall, then putting my nose and forehead against the wall. I
then bend my knees so I can still just see the ends of my toes and I
fix my knees in that position. I lower my body pushing mingmen out and
pulling the coccyx\sacrum forward as if I am going to sit down. It is
advisable at first to go down only as far as you can still holding
that position, in other words, stop as soon as you feel your back and
sacrum losing their position. Coming up fix the knees firmly and
pull up using the mingmen and keeping the coccyx forward. The knees are
merely a hinge. The power comes from the back. It is helpful to have
someone else check your knees. If the knees pop it means that you are
not pushing mingmen out. So ,if you can feel your knees are about to pop,
adjust the position of your back. This way you can protect your knees and
also learn to open the back Dantian(mingmen). Gradually push yourself to
go lower and also closer to the wall. If you need to start with a
book under your heels, make sure it is an old one so you can tear out
pages!

Wall squats are vital for opening the back Dantian and
the SI joint. Once these are open, you can sink Chi down into the
Dantian and your body can truly root to the ground. When the back Dantian
is open and the coccyx pulled forward, then the sensation of the
Straight Line between Hui Yin and Bai Hui will be experienced and you
will begin to know your power!